SS American Victory

The SS American Victory is a World War II cargo vessel now serving as a floating museum at Channelside Drive in Tampa. The ship measures 455 feet (138.8 m) long and has several decks with engine rooms, cargo hatches, radio compartments, and crew quarters all open to visitors.

The vessel was completed in June 1945 and spent more than three decades carrying cargo and troops to war zones. After the Vietnam War, it sat in a reserve fleet before being restored and converted into a museum in the mid-1990s.

The name recalls the ships quickly built during World War II to carry supplies across the Atlantic. Today visitors can step aboard and see how sailors slept in tight quarters, ate their meals in the mess, and worked at sea.

The museum opens Monday from 12 PM to 5 PM and Tuesday through Sunday from 10 AM to 5 PM, with adult admission at 15 dollars. The tour involves climbing steep ladders and walking through narrow passageways, so comfortable shoes are recommended and watch for slippery metal surfaces.

Visitors can step into the engine room and see the steam turbine that once powered the ship. The galley still has the original stoves where cooks prepared meals for the entire crew.